Automatic key ejector



Oct. 13, 1953 G. E. ST. JOHN, 2,655,559

AUTOMATIC KEY EJECTOR Filed July 18, 1951 George E. 8/. Jo/m INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 13, 1953 U N I TED STATE S F CE 2,655,569 AUTOMATIC KEYiazmowoit 'GeorgelEi-st. John, Palmdale, Calit.

Application July is, 1951, "SerfalNo. 237,867

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in looks and moreparticularly to a means associated with locks for effecting ejection ofthe key.

An object of the present invention is-to provide a means that can easilybe associated with conventional locks, made or to be made, whereby a keyinserted into the lock for operating the same can be effectivelyejected.

A further object of the present invention resides in the manner in whichthe means of the present invention can be associated with theconventional means of a lock for cooperation therewith.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provisionof a key ejector pin having a cross-sectional form substantially thesame as that of the key to the lock.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best formin which I have contemplated applying my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a detail perspective exploded view showing the elementswhich cooperate to perform the key ejecting operation;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a conventionalslide lock with the means shown in Figure 1 associated therewith and thekey in ejected position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along theplane of line 33 of Figure 2 and wherein the key has been inserted inopposition to the key ejector for unlocking the bolt and closing theswitch;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantiallyalong the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantiallyalong the plane of line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsdesignate like parts throughout, the numeral I0 designates generally aconventional slide lock with which the means I2 of the present inventioncan be employed.

The lock I0 is comprised of a substantially cylindrical casing l4 havinga first bore I6 and a second bore [8 coaxial therewith, the casing beingclosed at and open at 22. The casing has longitudinally extending keyways 24 and is externally threaded at 25. A look barrel 26 is slidablyengaged in the casing and non-rotatably carried thereby, screws 28 andthe keys 30 preventing relative rotation. The casing I4 is mounted inthe supporting wall 32 by means of the nut 34 and flange 36 of thebarrel 26.

The casing I4 has a first insulator 38 nonrotatably disposed at theinner end of the bore l8. The insulator 38 has a pair of contact points40 and 42 to which electrical conductors 44 and 46 are connected andextend out through the bottom 20 of the casing.

A second insulator 48 is rotatably disposed in the casing and is fixedlysecured to the lock bolt 50 retained in the barrel 26 by the retainer52. The second insulator 48 has a contact bridge 54 secured for rotationtherewith.

The bolt 50 has a plurality of slides 55 transversely supported therebyfor selective engagement or disengagement in the grooves 56 and 58. Thekey 58 is adapted to be inserted in the bolt 50 for moving the slides topredetermined relation for effecting rotation of the bolt and secondinsulator 46 so that the bridge 54 can move to the position shown inFigure 5 for bridging the 5 gap between the points 40 and 42.

Looking now at Figure 1, it will be seen that the means l2 includes aspring retainer 60, a spring 62 and a disk 64 integrally secured to thefree end of the spring. The means l2 also includes an ejector pin 66which has a cross-sectional form substantially the same as that of thekey 58. The pin 66 has a stop pin 68 transversely extending therethroughat a point intermediate its ends.

Looking now at Figures 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the retainerdisk 60 is disposed in abutment with the first insulator 38 with thespring 62 and disk 64 extending inwardly therefrom. The ejector pin 66is axially disposed within the assembly and is normally outwardly urgedto the position shown in Figure 2 for ejecting the key, the stop pin 68limiting the outward movement by engagement with the retainer 52. Thepin 66 is inwardly moved in opposition to the spring 62 by the key 58whereby the lock can be unlocked, as shown in Figure 3. When againlocking the lock [0, the key will be automatically ejected by the spring62 and disk 64 engaging the same.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An automatic key ejector for an ignition switch comprising a casinghaving a lock barrel non-rotatably mounted in the front end thereof, abolt and slide assembly rotatable in said barrel, and a key for rotatingthe bolt, an annular first insulator disk fixed in said casingrearwardly of said barrel, a second annular insulator disk carried bysaid bolt for rotation thereby in said casing between the bolt and firstinsulator disk, a pair of spaced contacts on said first disk, means onsaid second disk for bridging said pair of contacts upon rotation ofsaid second disk, 9, key ejector pin movable rearwardly through bothsaid disks by the key to provide for insertion of the key, and springmeans in said casing in the rear of said first disk operativelyconnected to said pin to move the same forwardly through both said disksto eject the key.

2. An automatic key ejector according to claim 1, said spring meanscomprising a coil spring mounted on said first disk in axial alignment15 with said disks and in surrounding relation to said pin, and a diskfixed to and tensioned by 4 said spring to engage and move said pinforwardly.

3. An automatic key ejector according to claim 1, including a. member inthe rear of said barrel retaining the same in the casing, and a stop onsaid pin engageable with said member to limit projection of said pin.

GEORGE E. ST. JOHN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,828,747 Perry Oct. 2'7, 1931 2,062,440 Beal Dec. 1, 19362,069,970 Richter Feb. 9, 1937

